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Throwback Thursday

Pursuant to the judge’s agreement, the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission publicly admonished a judge for giving the appearance of summarily banishing a defendant from the county. Letter to Wise (Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission May 5, 2008).

Based on the judge’s agreement, the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications publicly admonished a judge who had pled guilty to public intoxication after being arrested when a police officer observed him outside his car near the interstate. Public Admonition of Currie (Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications May 27, 2008).

Based on the recommendation of the Commission on Judicial Disabilities, the Maryland Court of Appeals suspended a judge for 30 days without pay for a pattern of inappropriate demeanor and comments. In re Lamdin, 948 A.2d 54 (Maryland May 2008).

Based on an agreed statement of facts and joint recommendation, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly censured a judge for holding litigants in 3 cases in summary contempt without complying with statutory requirements. In the Matter or Griffin, Determination (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct May 16, 2008).

The North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission publicly reprimanded a judge who had entered an Alford plea to impaired driving. In re Adkins, Public Reprimand (North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission May 9, 2008).

Based on a consent-to-discipline agreement, the Ohio Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a judge for allowing 6 civil cases to languish in his court for an inordinate amount of time. Disciplinary Counsel v. Sargeant, 889 N.E.2d 96 (Ohio 2008).

Adopting the recommendations of the hearing panel of the Commission on Judicial Conduct, the South Carolina Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a former magistrate for (1) proposing that a court employee obtain incriminating evidence against another magistrate by videotaping herself engaged in sexual relations with the magistrate and (2) using a racial epithet in a conversation with another court employee to refer to men that a court clerk was dating; the Court also ordered that the former judge be prohibited from seeking or accepting any judicial position in the state without its express permission. In the Matter of Hutchins, 661 S.E.2d 343 (South Carolina 2008).

The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly warned a judge for a comment that could easily be misinterpreted as racist and an unsolicited, coercive, and intimidating discussion of the value of a case to encourage settlement that injected race and politics; the Commission also ordered the judge to complete an 8-hour course covering racial sensitivity and diversity. Public Warning of Keis and Order of Additional Education (Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct May 14, 2008).

The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly warned a judge for touching an attorney’s buttocks at a Christmas party; the Commission also ordered him to complete an 8-hour course covering gender sensitivity and sexual harassment. Public Warning of Miner and Order of Additional Education (Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct May 14, 2008).

The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a judge for a 20-year practice of refusing to accept eviction filings from landlords for part of December. Public Admonition of Geick (Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct May 5, 2008).

Based on a stipulation and joint recommendation, the Wisconsin Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a supreme court justice for presiding, when she was a circuit judge, over 11 cases in which a bank was a party while her husband was a paid director of the bank, without disclosing the relationship or obtaining a waiver of her disqualification. In the Matter of Ziegler, 750 N.W.2d 710 (Wisconsin 2008).